Device and method for molding of decorative molded articles

ABSTRACT

A foil-decorating injection molding apparatus  1  comprises a male mold  20  and a female mold  2 , a transport chuck  30  for feeding a decorative sheet S between the male mold  20  and the female mold  2 , and a damper  10  for pressing and fastening the decorative sheet S onto a parting surface  2   a  of the female mold  2 . The transport chuck  30  consists of two clamping devices  31  each clamping the side edge on either side of the decorative sheet S. The damper  10  consists of a pressing frame  11  and a connecting member  12  and is formed in a shape such that, even when the pressing frame  11  is in abutment with the female mold  2 , there is established a space between the connecting member  12  and the female mold  2  in which the clamping devices  31  can pass through. After the decorative sheet S is fed by the clamping chuck  30 , the sheet S can be fastened by the damper  10  without having to wait until the chuck  30  is brought back to an initial standby position, thereby reducing the manufacturing time.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a foil-decorating injection moldingapparatus and method for integrally bonding a decorative sheet carryingpatterns or letters or the like to the surface of an injection moldedresin article within a mold while simultaneously performing an injectionmolding, thereby obtaining a decorative molded article.

BACKGROUND ART

Integrally bonding a decorative sheet to the surface of an injectionmolded resin article simultaneously with the injection molding thereofhas conventionally been performed (see Patent Document 1, for example).FIG. 8 shows a foil-decorating injection molding apparatus disclosed inPatent Document 1, and FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a portion ofthe apparatus in the vicinity of a female mold. The foil-decoratinginjection molding apparatus 100 comprises the female mold 2 with acontour corresponding to a desired article to be obtained, and a malemold 20. The bottom of the female mold 2 is fixed to a movable platen 5such that the female mold 2 can be moved towards or away from the malemold 20 by a fluid pressure cylinder ram 7.

The female mold 2 is formed with a cavity 4 with a contour correspondingto the shape of the desired article to be obtained. In the cavity 4,there are bored vacuum suction holes 17 that open out to the cavity 4and which lead to an external vacuum pump via a vacuum suctionpassageway 14 bored in a bottom portion of the female mold 2 and via aconduit 15. The female mold 2 is also fitted with a rectangular framedamper 110 for pressing and fastening a decorative sheet S onto aparting surface 2 a of the female mold 2.

On the other hand, the male mold 20 is fixed to a fixed panel 25 inwhich a nozzle 28 of an injection molding machine is mounted. The malemold 20 is provided with a protruding portion (core) 21 at the centercorresponding to the shape of the article. In the protruding portion 21,there is formed a runner 22 for injecting a molten resin into the cavity4 of the female mold 2 via the nozzle 28 of the injection moldingmachine.

Above the female mold 2, there are provided a reel 70, a guide roller74, and a pair of feed rollers 72 for winding and rewinding an elongatedband of a decorative sheet RS that is wound in a roll. A transport chuck130 is disposed between the feed roller 72 and the female mold 2 forfeeding a decorative sheet S onto the parting line 2 a of the femalemold 2. On the lower side of the female mold 2, there is disposed areceiving chuck 50 for receiving an end Sa of the decorative sheet Sthat has been transported via the transport chuck 130.

When performing an injection molding and foil decoration simultaneouslyusing this apparatus 100, the elongated band of the decorative sheet RSwound in a roll is drawn out by the feed rollers 72. A decorative sheetS is then clamped by the transport chuck 130 near the end Sa of thesheet, as shown in FIG. 9. The transport chuck 130 is then transportedvertically downward in a plane parallel to the parting surface 2 a ofthe female mold 2, until the very tip of the end Sa of the decorativesheet S protrudes downward just a little beyond the lower end of thereceiving chuck 50.

Then, the end Sa of the decorative sheet S is grasped by the receivingchuck 50, and, as shown in FIG. 10, the transport chuck 130 is released,raised, and brought back to the initial standby position shown in FIG.9. The decorative sheet S is then pressed and fastened onto the partingsurface 2 a of the female mold 2 by the damper 110. Thereafter, aheating panel 80 that has been withdrawn from the areas between thefemale and male molds is now brought closer to the damper 110 until itis directly opposite thereto so that it can heat and soften thedecorative sheet S, as shown in FIG. 11.

A heated-wire type sheet cutter 90 is provided on the upper end of theheating panel 80 via an L-shaped support member 92 such that the cutter90 protrudes beyond the heating panel 80 and the damper 110 towards thefemale mold 2. As the heating panel 80 is moved and brought into contactwith the damper 110, the decorative sheet S is cut in the direction ofthe width thereof by the sheet cutter 90, and a single-shot length ofthe decorative sheet S at its end can be cut off from the upstreamportion of the sheet. The tip portion of the decorative sheet S fromwhich the single-shot length has been cut off is later wound back to theposition (see FIG. 12) where it is grasped by the transport chuck 130 inpreparation for the next shot.

Simultaneous with, or immediately after the decorative sheet Sheating/softening step, the decorative sheet S is vacuum-sucked via thevacuum suction holes 17 formed in the female mold 2 so that thedecorative sheet S is stretched in conformity with the cavity 4 of thefemale mold 2 in an airtight manner. Following this stretching step, thefemale mold 2 is moved towards the male mold 20 for mold clamping in amold clamping step. This is followed by an injection molding step (seeFIG. 12) in which an injection molding resin in a molten or in anuncured, liquid state is injected into the cavity 4 formed between thefemale mold 2 and the male mold 20 via the runner 22 in the male mold20. A mold opening step is then conducted in which the female mold 2 andthe male mold 20 are separated, followed by a removal step in which amolded article P to which the decorative sheet S is integrally bonded isremoved from the female mold 2.

The decorative sheet may employ either a laminate sheet or a transfersheet, depending on the type of the desired product. In the case ofusing a laminate sheet, the laminate sheet per se will have beenfoil-decorated by injection molding, resulting in the entire layers ofthe sheet being integrally bonded to the surface of the injection moldedresin article and creating a pattern layer. On the other hand, when thedecorative sheet is a transfer sheet, a support sheet is peeled from thepattern sheet that has been integrally bonded to the surface of theinjection molded resin article, whereby only a transfer layer of thepattern layer, for example, is left behind on the injection molded resinarticle, thereby creating a pattern layer and completing thefoil-decorating process.

Instead of the receiving chuck 50 in the above-described apparatus 100,a second damper may be provided adjacent to the first damper (see PatentDocument 2, for example). FIG. 13 shows a major portion of thefoil-decorating injection molding apparatus disclosed in Patent Document2, where a second damper 250 is provided beneath and adjacent the firstdamper 210. In this apparatus, the decorative sheet S that has been fedonto a female mold 202 by a transport chuck 230 is grasped by the seconddamper 250 and, after the transport chuck 230 has been returned to theinitial standby position as shown, the decorative sheet S is pressed andfastened onto the female mold 202 by the first damper 210.

(Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent No. 3093159

(Patent Document 2) Japanese Patent No. 2714258

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In the above-described foil-decorating injection molding apparatusesdisclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, after the decorative sheet S hasbeen fed by the transport chuck 130 or 230, the decorative sheet Scannot be fastened by the damper 110 or 210 until the transport chuck130 or 230 is brought back to the initial standby position, resulting ina longer production time. Further, they required means for grasping thedecorative sheet S, such as the receiving chuck 50 or the second damper250, until the transport chuck 130 or 230 is brought back to the initialstandby position.

Furthermore, for the receiving chuck 50 to be able to grasp thedecorative sheet S, the decorative sheet S must be drawn out more thanis necessary for covering the cavity 4, resulting in a waste of thesheet. The extra length of the decorative sheet S that must be drawn outcan be reduced somewhat by the structure in Patent Document 2 in whichthe second damper 250 is disposed adjacent the first damper 210.However, in this case too, some waste of the sheet is inevitable, andthis structure has the problem that the structure of the clampers aswell as their drive mechanism is complex.

The invention has been made with a view to solve the aforementionedproblems of the prior art, and it is an object of the invention toprovide a foil-decorating injection molding apparatus and methodwhereby, after a decorative sheet has been fed by a transport chuck, thesheet can be fastened by the damper without having to wait until thechuck is brought back to the initial standby position, thereby reducingthe time necessary for manufacture. It is another object of theinvention to minimize the length of the decorative sheet that is fed forthe production of a single decorative molded article so as to eliminatethe waste of the decorative sheet.

In order to achieve these objects, the invention provides afoil-decorating injection molding apparatus comprising at least a malemold, a female mold, a transport chuck for feeding a decorative sheetbetween the male mold and the female mold, and a damper for pressing andfastening the sheet on a parting surface of the female mold, wherein:

the transport chuck comprises two clamping devices by which both sideedges of the decorative sheet can be clamped; and

the damper comprises a pushing frame that abuts on the parting surfaceof the female mold via the decorative sheet when the decorative sheet ispressed and fastened, and at least one connecting member connecting thepushing frame and means of driving the pushing frame, wherein:

the damper is formed in such a shape that, when the pushing frame is inabutment with the parting surface of the female mold, there isestablished a space between the connecting member and the partingsurface in which the clamping devices can pass through.

The invention also provides a foil-decorating injection molding methodthat employs the aforementioned foil-decorating injection moldingapparatus, the method comprising feeding the decorative sheet betweenthe male mold and the female mold by moving the clamping devices of thetransport chuck with the decorative sheet being clamped by the clampingdevices, pressing and fastening the sheet onto the parting surface ofthe female mold by the clamper, releasing the grasping of the sheet bythe clamping devices while maintaining the pressed state, and bringingthe clamping devices back to their original position through the spacebetween the damper and the female mold.

In accordance with the foil-decorating injection molding apparatus ofthe invention, even when the decorative sheet is being pressed by theclamper, a space can be established between the damper and the femalemold through which the clamping devices can pass. Thus, the transportchuck can be moved in front of the female mold with the decorative sheetbeing pressed and fastened by the clamper. Therefore, in accordance withthe foil-decorating injection molding method of the invention, after thedecorative sheet has been fed in front of the female mold by thetransport chuck, the decorative sheet is pressed and fastened by thedamper and then the transport chuck can be brought back to its initialstandby position. While the transport chuck is being brought back to theinitial standby position, another step, such as that of heating thesheet, can be simultaneously performed, thereby reducing themanufacturing time. Further, such a method of feeding and fixing thedecorative sheet eliminates the need for the receiving chuck or the likethat is found in the conventional foil-decorating injection moldingapparatuses, so that the apparatus can be simplified. This alsoeliminates the need for unreeling the decorative sheet for an extralength up to the position of the grasping means, such as theconventional receiving chuck, thereby eliminating the waste in thedecorative sheet.

In a preferable embodiment, the transport chuck is movable in thedirection perpendicular to the direction in which the male mold and thefemale mold move towards and away from each other, the position of thetransport chuck is fixed with respect to the female mold in theaforementioned direction, and the decorative sheet is fed from a reelfixed to the female mold. In this embodiment, when the female mold ismoved forward or backward with respect to the male die, the transportchuck and the reel also move along with the female mold and thereforethe distance between the parting surface of the female mold and thedecorative sheet can be maintained to be constant. Accordingly, thedecorative sheet can be fed by the transport chuck even during theforward or backward movement of the female mold. As a result, when thefemale mold and the male mold are separated in a die separating stepafter a single molded article has been injection-molded using theapparatus of the invention, a new decorative sheet can be fedsimultaneously, thereby further reducing the manufacturing time. Thereel may be fixed to the female mold not only directly but alsoindirectly using an appropriate member. Normally, a mount or the like isinstalled on the movable platen to which the bottom of the female moldis fixed, and the transport chuck drive unit or the reel are fixedlymounted on the mount.

As needed, a heating panel for heating and softening the decorativesheet may be fixed to the female mold, in addition to the aforementioneddrive unit and the reel. The heating panel may be movably attached tothe female mold via a suitable member. During injection molding, theheating panel is withdrawn outside the areas between the female and malemolds, and it is moved in front of the parting surface of the femalemold during the subsequent die opening step. By thus moving the heatingpanel simultaneously during the die opening step, the manufacturing timecan be further shortened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cross section of an embodiment of the foil-decoratinginjection molding apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown inFIG. 1 in the vicinity of the female mold.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a transport chuck of the apparatusshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 for the explanationof a decorative sheet fixing step.

FIG. 5 shows a view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 for the explanationof a decorative sheet heating step.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of a damper usedin the foil-decorating injection molding apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an example of how a reel and a driveunit are installed in the foil-decorating injection molding apparatus ofthe invention.

FIG. 8 shows a cross section of a foil-decorating injection moldingapparatus according to prior art.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8 nearthe female mold.

FIG. 10 shows a view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8 for describing atransport chuck moving step.

FIG. 11 shows a view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8 for describing aheating and softening step.

FIG. 12 shows a view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8 for describing aninjection molding step.

FIG. 13 shows a cross section of a major portion of anotherfoil-decorating injection molding apparatus according to prior art.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The invention will be hereafter described by way of embodiments thereofwith reference made to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of thefoil-decorating injection molding apparatus of the invention. Thefoil-decorating injection molding apparatus 1 is similar to theconventional apparatus 100 (FIG. 8) in many parts, such as the femalemold and the male mold, and these common parts will be referenced bysimilar numerals and will not be described.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus 1 shown inFIG. 1 in the vicinity of the female mold. As will be readily seen bycomparing with FIG. 9, the apparatus 1 is characterized in the structureof a damper 10 and a transport chuck 30. In addition, the apparatus isnot provided with a grasping means, such as the receiving chuck, thathas been found in the conventional apparatuses. Although in the presentembodiment the male mold 20 and the female mold 2 are disposed oppositeeach other horizontally and a decorative sheet S is transported betweenthem from top to bottom, this is merely an example and the invention isnot limited thereby. For example, the male mold and the female mold maybe disposed opposite each other vertically, and the decorative sheet Smay be transported between them horizontally.

The transport chuck 30 in the present apparatus 1 consists of twoclamping devices 31, 31 that grasp the left and right side edges of thedecorative sheet S. These clamping devices 31, 31 are each mounted onthe tip of two transport rods 60, 60 with axes parallel to a partingsurface 2 a of the female mold 2. Each transport rod 60 is coupled witha drive means (not shown) so that they can be moved in a plane parallelto the parting surface 2 a along their axes, namely in the verticaldirection.

FIG. 3(a) shows an enlarged perspective view of one of the clampingdevice 31 of the transport chuck 30. The clamping device 31 consists ofa fixed-side clamping piece 33 and a movable-side clamping piece 35 thatare disposed opposite one another. These clamping pieces 33 and 35 arecoupled by a clamping device opening/closing mechanism 40. Thefixed-side clamping piece 33 is attached to the tip of the transport rod60, while the movable-side clamping piece 35 can be moved by theclamping device opening/closing mechanism 40 relative to the fixed-sideclamping piece 33.

FIG. 3(b) shows a side view of the clamping device 31. The clampingdevice opening/closing mechanism 40 includes a guide support pin 41 witha flange 41 a that is fixed to the fixed-side clamping piece 33 and thatis loosely inserted in the movable-side clamping piece 35 and a guidesleeve 39. The clamping device opening/closing mechanism 40 alsoincludes a coil spring 42 located in compression between the flange 41 aof the guide support pin 41 and the movable-side clamping piece 35. Italso includes an air cylinder 44 fixed to the fixed-side clamping piece33 that can operate to move the movable-side clamping piece 35 via apiston rod 44 a in a direction such that the movable-side clamping piece35 can be moved away from the fixed-side clamping piece 33. The clampingdevice opening/closing mechanism 40 operates such that, when the aircylinder 44 is put in an inoperative state, the piston rod 44 a ispushed into the cylinder 44 by the biasing force of the coil spring 42,resulting in a closed state in which the decorative sheet S is clampedby the fixed-side clamping piece 33 and the movable-side clamping piece35. When the air cylinder 44 is put in an operating state, the pistonrod 44 a lifts the movable-side clamping piece 35 against the biasingforce of the coil spring 42, whereby the clamping of the decorativesheet S is released to achieve an open state.

The damper 10 consists of a rectangular pushing frame 11 that is adaptedto abut on the parting surface 2 a of the female mold 2 via thedecorative sheet S as it is pressed and fastened, and four connectingmembers 12 by which the pushing frame 11 is connected to a drive means.Each of the connecting members 12 comprises four bridging portions 12 athat extend from the four corners of the pushing frame 11 in parallelwith the parting surface 2 a of the female mold 2, and four connectingrods 12 b that extend from the tip of each bridging portion 12 avertically towards the parting surface 2 a of the female mold 2. Eachconnecting rod 12 b is slidably inserted in a throughhole 8 provided inthe female mold 2 near each corner thereof and is connected to a drivemeans (not shown), so that the pushing frame 11 can be moved forward andbackward vertically with respect to the parting surface 2 a of thefemale mold 2.

The pushing frame 11 of the damper 10 has a greater thickness than thebridging portions 12 in the direction of the parting surface 2 a of thefemale mold 2. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, when the decorative sheet S ispressed and fastened by the damper 10, only the pushing frame 11 abutson the female mold 2 via the decorative sheet S and a space is formedbetween each of the bridging portions 12 and the female mold 2. Themeasurements of each element of the damper are determined such that eachclamping device 31 of the transport chuck 30 can be passed through thisspace.

EXAMPLES

An example of a foil-decorating injection molding method utilizing thefoil-decorating injection molding apparatus 1 of the above-describedstructure will be hereafter described.

The decorative sheet RS of the elongated band shape wound in a roll isdrawn out by the feed rollers 72, and the left and right side edges of atip Sa of the decorative sheet S are clamped by the clamping devices 31,31 of the transport chuck 30, as shown in FIG. 2. Then, the transportchuck 30 is moved vertically downward between the parting surface 2 a ofthe female mold 2 and the damper 10 until the lower edge of thedecorative sheet S reaches near the lower edge of the pushing frame 11of the damper 10. The decorative sheet S is then pressed and fastened bythe damper 10, a shown in FIG. 4. The decorative sheet S is pressed andfastened by the pushing frame 11 of the damper 10 at the peripheraledges of a cavity 4 above the parting surface 2 a of the female mold 2.As a result, the space enclosed by the cavity 4 and the decorative sheetS is airtightly sealed. In this state, a space is formed between each ofthe bridging portions 12 a of the damper 10 and the parting surface 2 aof the female mold 2, so that each of the clamping devices 31, 31 can beaccommodated in the space formed between the two bridging portions 12 a,12 a on the left and right located beneath the damper 10 and the femalemold 2.

Thereafter, the heating panel 80 that has up to now been withdrawnoutside the areas between the female and male molds is moved to aposition immediately opposite the damper 10, as shown in FIG. 5. At thesame time, the clamping devices 31, 31 release the decorative sheet Sand then rise back to their original position shown in FIG. 2. This isfollowed by the conventional steps, namely: the decorative sheetheating/softening step (see FIG. 11); the drawing step; the female/malemold clamping step; the injection molding step (see FIG. 12); the dieopening step; and the mold-article removing step, thereby completing adecorative molded article.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the damper that can be used in theabove-described foil-decorating injection molding apparatus 1. A damper310 shown in FIG. 6 consists of a rectangular pushing frame 311 thatabuts the parting surface 2 a of the female mold 2 via the decorativesheet S when the decorative sheet S is pressed and fastened, and a leftand a right connecting member 312 for connecting the pushing frame 311and a drive means (not shown). Each of the connecting members 312consists of: two vertical plates 312 a on either side of the pushingframe 311 that extend vertically away from the parting surface 2 a ofthe female mold 2; four connecting rods 312 c slidably inserted in thethroughholes 8 provided in the female mold 2 near the four cornersthereof; and two bridges 312 b on either end connecting the verticalplates 312 a and the connecting rods 312 c in a plane parallel to theparting surface 2 a of the female mold 2. In this structure, when thedecorative sheet S is pressed and fastened by the damper 310, only thepushing frame 311 abuts the female mold 2 via the decorative sheet S,and between each bridge 312 b and the female mold 2, there is formed aspace in which the clamping device 31 of the transport chuck 30 can bepassed. This damper 310 may be used in the same process as that for thepreviously described damper 10 to obtain a molded article.

The drive unit for the transport chuck 30 and a reel 70 for thedecorative sheet S may be fixed to the female mold 2 via suitablemembers, as shown in FIG. 7. In the illustrated example, a mount 9 isinstalled on top of the movable platen 5 to which the female mold 2 isfixed, and the drive units 61 and the reel 70 are mounted on the mount9. At the lower edge of the drive units 61, the transport rods 60 withthe clamping devices 31 attached to the tip thereof extend downwards,allowing the clamping devices 31 to be moved up and down in the spacebetween the female mold 2 and the damper 10. The feed roller 72 isattached to the upper portion of the drive unit 61, and the decorativesheet RS wound on the reel 70 can be unreeled via the feed roller 72 andgrasped by the clamping devices 31. In this mode of installation, theclamping devices 31 can be moved up and down between the female mold 2and the damper 10 even while the movable platen 5 is moving. Thus, afterone molded article has been injection-molded, a new decorative sheet Scan be fed while the female mold 2 and the male mold 20 are beingseparated, thereby allowing production time to be further shortened.

Various other embodiments of the foil-decorating injection moldingapparatus of the invention are possible. For example, a groove may beprovided in the parting surface 2 a of the female mold 2 along thetransport path of the transport chuck 30 so that a part of the transportrods 60 and the transport chuck 30 travels within the groove. In thisway, the decorative sheet S can be fed to a position closer to theparting surface 2 a such that it can be more smoothly pressed andfastened by the damper 10. As an alternative means of moving thetransport chuck 30, instead of the transport rods 60, a guide rail maybe provided along the transport path of the clamping devices 31 betweenthe female mold 2 and the damper 10 in advance, so that the clampingdevices 31 can travel along this guide rail. In another example, thedamper 10 may be connected to the drive means outside the female mold 2,rather than through the inside of the female mold 2 as in the foregoingembodiment.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

In accordance with the foil-decorating injection molding apparatus ofthe invention, a plurality of operations are performed simultaneously sothat production time can be shortened. Further, the need to unreel anextra length of the decorative sheet is eliminated, thereby allowing thesheet to be utilized efficiently.

1. A foil-decorating injection molding apparatus comprising at least amale mold, a female mold, a transport chuck for feeding a decorativesheet between said male mold and said female mold, and a damper forpressing and fastening said sheet on a parting surface of said femalemold, wherein: said transport chuck comprises two clamping devices bywhich both side edges of said decorative sheet can be clamped; and saiddamper comprises a pushing frame that abuts on said parting surface ofsaid female mold via said decorative sheet when said decorative sheet ispressed and fastened, and at least one connecting member connecting saidpushing frame and means of driving said pushing frame, wherein: saiddamper is formed in such a shape that, when said pushing frame is inabutment with said parting surface of said female mold, there isestablished a space between said connecting member and said partingsurface in which said clamping devices can pass through.
 2. Thefoil-decorating injection molding apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said transport chuck is movable in the direction perpendicularto the direction in which said male mold and said female mold are movedtowards or away from each other, the position of said transport chuck isfixed with respect to said female mold in said direction, and saiddecorative sheet is fed from a reel fixed to said female mold.
 3. Afoil-decorating injection molding method that employs thefoil-decorating injection molding apparatus according to claim 1, saidmethod comprising feeding said decorative sheet between said male moldand said female mold by moving said clamping devices of said transportchuck with said decorative sheet being clamped by said clamping devices,pressing and fastening said sheet onto said parting surface by saidclamper, releasing the grasping of said sheet by said clamping deviceswhile maintaining the pressed state, and bringing said clamping devicesback to their original position through the space between said damperand said female mold.
 4. A foil-decorating injection molding methodemploying the foil-decorating injection molding apparatus according toclaim 2, said method comprising: feeding said decorative sheet betweensaid male mold and said female mold by moving said clamping devices ofsaid transport chuck with said sheet being clamped by said clampingdevices; pressing and fastening said sheet onto said parting surface ofsaid female mold by said clamper; releasing the grasping of said sheetby said clamping devices while maintaining the pressed state; bringingsaid clamping devices back to their original position through the spacebetween said damper and said female mold; and separating said femalemold and said female mold while simultaneously feeding a new decorativesheet between said male mold and said female mold by said transportchuck.